Area Attractions

Sunken Gardens and Over-the-Top Fun

There is just so much to see and do in lovely St. Pete Beach and the surrounding area. From the Sunken Garden with its 50,000 plants and flowers to the stunning Dali Museum or the fascinating Florida Aquarium, it’s all remarkably close by. Be sure to check out the more than 2,700 live animals and fun rides at Busch Gardens Tampa. Use this list as an initial guide, and be sure to ask our concierge for more information about Tampa Bay attractions.

Key Attractions

John’s Pass Village

Located on the waterfront at John’s Pass, this quaint turn-of-the-century fishing village offers over 100 merchants, including unique retail shopping, a variety of restaurants, the local fishing fleet, dolphin watching and shelling tours, boat rentals, parasailing and Jet Skiing. Special events also take place at the Village, including John Levique Pirate Days in May, a Seafood Festival in October, and a transformation into a Christmas scene during December.More info

Egmont Key State Park

This 440-acre island is the home to one of the last government-operated lighthouses, built in 1858, in the nation. It is still an active navigational aide to all ships entering Tampa Bay. Now a wildlife refuge, Egmont Key was a camp for captured Seminoles during the Third Seminole War and was a Union Navy base during the Civil War. Several boats offer snorkeling excursions to this island, which is accessible only by boat. Egmont Key also has a variety of significant natural resources, including a large population of gopher tortoises, and its beach is used as a nesting area by loggerhead sea turtles.More info

Fort DeSoto Park

The largest park within the Pinellas County Park System, this park consists of 1,136 acres made up of five interconnected islands. The 12-inch mortar battery, located at the fort for which the park was named, was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The park offers boating, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, bicycling, skating, running, nature trails, historical fort, fishing piers, doggy beach, shelling, birding, camping, and swimming.More info

Pinellas Trail

The Pinellas Trail is a 47-mile fitness trail built on abandoned railways. One of the longest linear parks in the United States, it runs from Tarpon Springs to the north to its terminus in south St. Petersburg.More info

Sunken Gardens

Everything is in bloom at this hidden gem inside city limits. Sunken Gardens has an exotic collection of more than 50,000 tropical plants and flowers and features a butterfly garden, wedding lawn, a walk-through aviary with exotic species of birds, and an orchid arbor. This garden is open seven days a week.More info

The Florida Aquarium

Journey through the bay aboard the Bay Spirit, our 72-foot powered catamaran, and encounter the awesome animals that thrive in local waters. The only requirement is a sense of adventure. Located in Tampa, approximately 30 minutes away.More info

Ybor City

Known as Tampa’s Latin Quarter, Ybor City is an exotic blend of aromas, flavors, sights and sounds. From the scent of Cuban coffee roasting early in the morning to the rhythms of Latin music late into the night, Ybor is a feast for the senses. Choose from a variety of cuisines with a stroll down La Setima, the main street of the Historic District. Browse eclectic shops and art galleries, visit one of the museums, see a hand-rolled cigar being made or just relax and people watch. Red-brick buildings, wrought-iron balconies and narrow brick streets give it an old-world charm; a refreshing change of pace from the beach and the mall.More info

Culture

Dali Museum

1 Dali Drive

Situated on the curve of Bayshore Drive in downtown St. Petersburg overlooking the Bay, The Dali Museum is home to the world's most comprehensive collection of works by the late Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali. The collection includes 94 original oils, over 100 watercolors and drawings, plus 1,300 graphics, sculptures, holograms, objects of art and photographs. The new museum, more than twice the size of the old at 66,450 square feet, opened on January 11, 2011.More info

The Chilhuly Collection at the Morean Arts Center

400 Beach Drive NE

The Chihuly Collection is a stunning, permanent collection of world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly’s unique artwork in a magnificent 10,000 square foot setting designed by award-winning architect Albert Alfonso in downtown St. Petersburg.More info

Mahaffey Theater for Performing Arts

Located in the heart of beautiful downtown St. Petersburg, the newly renovated Progress Energy Center for the Arts—Mahaffey Theater is a 2,030-seat cultural jewel featuring elegant ballroom space, spectacular waterfront views, and European box-style seating.More info

Museum of Fine Arts

255 Beach Drive N. E.

The elegant Palladian-style building in downtown St. Petersburg combines the styles of a classic art museum and a Mediterranean villa. Designed by John Volk, the building itself is a work of art and has 20 galleries—some small and intimate, others more spacious. The Museum also has splendid Membership and Sculpture Gardens.More info

Second Saturday Art Walk

On the second Saturday of every month, from August through December, the galleries on and around Central Avenue display works of art and sponsor other events.More info

Florida Orchestra

The mission of The Florida Orchestra is to enrich the life of the Tampa Bay area as it inspires, entertains and educates a wide and diverse audience with the unique experience of live symphonic music, ensuring that future generations will continue to enjoy this legacy that so magnificently celebrates the human spirit.More info

Great Explorations Children’s Museum

1925 Fourth Street North

Imagine a museum where you don't just look at the exhibits, you touch them. Move them. Explore them. And in some cases actually become part of them. This is Great Explorations. And it’s unlike any place you've been before.More info

Dr. Carter G. Woodson African-American Museum

2240 Ninth Ave South

The museum presents the historic voice of the St. Petersburg African-American community, in the perspective of local, regional, and national history. It is demonstration of the commitment to revitalize the Midtown St. Petersburg area. The museum joins Mercy Hospital at the Johnnie Ruth Clarke Health Center, the Royal Theater Boys and Girls Club, and the renovated Manhattan Casino as evidence of the renaissance of this area.More info

Florida Holocaust Museum

55 Fifth St. S.

The Florida Holocaust Museum honors the memory of millions of innocent men, women, and children who suffered or died in the Holocaust. The museum is dedicated to teaching members of all races and cultures to recognize the inherent worth and dignity of human life in order to prevent future genocides.

American Stage is Tampa Bay's best professional regional equity theatre. Founded in 1977, the company's mission is to create the most satisfying live theatre in the Tampa Bay area, accessible to all members of the community.More info

freeFall Theater Company

6099 Central Avenue

Craving an intimate theatrical experience with all the energy and excitement of a New York opening? freeFall's got it with its recently renovated two stages: one 300-seat main stage theatre and a 150-seat studio theatre—with tons of free parking in a beautiful West St. Pete locale, midway between the beaches and downtown. Treat your mind and feed your senses at freeFall.More info

The Palladium Theater at St. Petersburg College

253 5th Ave N

For 10 years, the Palladium has presented the best in cultural programming for and by the community—music including jazz, blues, folk, gospel, bluegrass, Latin, classical and opera, plus original programming featuring dance and drama.More info

For more information on supporting local St Petersburg arts and theater, please speak with our Concierge.

Theme And Amusement Parks

Busch Gardens Tampa

10001 N. McKinley Drive, Tampa

Busch Gardens is the ultimate family adventure park, offering an array of fascinating attractions based on exotic encounters with the African continent. A unique blend of thrilling rides, one of the country's premier zoos featuring more than 2,700 animals, live shows, restaurants, shops and games, Busch Gardens provides unrivaled "real" excitement for guests of every age. Just 45 minutes away.More info